The present invention relates to a process for producing a crack, and more particularly a standard crack in a tube.
At present there are numerous inspection methods, which make it possible to investigate faults or defects in tubular members, such as testing by ultrasonics, eddy currents, sweating, etc. In order to permit a calibration of the inspection and testing equipment, artificial faults are produced in standard tube portions. A groove is made for the investigation of longitudinal faults, holes are made for detecting leaks or transverse faults, the dimensions of said grooves or holes being a function of the diameter and thickness of the tubes. A groove or hole only makes it possible to regulate the control equipment and does not constitute an artificial image of the natural fault. Although such an approximation is satisfactory in most industrial applications, there are other fields, particularly the nuclear field, where it is desirable not only to be able to produce the artificial image of a natural fault for calibration purposes, but also to check the size, in the case of simple cracks, or to check the leakage flow rate in the case of a transverse fault.